Introduction

Background: In 1979 the Federated States of Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of Free Association with the US, which was amended and renewed in 2004. Present concerns include large-scale unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.

Geography

 

Location: Oceania, island group in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Indonesia

 

Geographic coordinates: 6 55 N, 158 15 E

 

Map references: Oceania

 

Area: total: 702 sq km; land: 702 sq km; water: 0 sq km (fresh water only); note: includes Pohnpei (Ponape), Chuuk (Truk) Islands, Yap Islands, and Kosrae (Kosaie)

 

Area - comparative: four times the size of Washington, DC (land area only)

 

Land boundaries: 0 km

 

Coastline: 6,112 km

 

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm; exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

 

Climate: tropical; heavy year-round rainfall, especially in the eastern islands; located on southern edge of the typhoon belt with occasionally severe damage

 

Terrain: islands vary geologically from high mountainous islands to low, coral atolls; volcanic outcroppings on Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Chuuk

 

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m; highest point: Dolohmwar (Totolom) 791 m

 

Natural resources: forests, marine products, deep-seabed minerals, phosphate

 

Land use: arable land: 5.71%; permanent crops: 45.71%; other: 48.58% (2001)

 

Irrigated land: NA

 

Natural hazards: typhoons (June to December)

 

Environment - current issues: overfishing, climate change, pollution

 

Environment - international agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

 

Geography - note: four major island groups totaling 607 islands

 

People

 

Population: 108,105 (July 2005 est.)

 

Age structure: 0-14 years: 37.1% (male 20,439/female 19,674); 15-64 years: 59.8% (male 32,382/female 32,313); 65 years and over: 3% (male 1,461/female 1,836) (2005 est.)

 

Population growth rate: -0.08% (2005 est.)

 

Birth rate: 25.11 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

 

Death rate: 4.87 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

 

Net migration rate: -21.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

 

Sex ratio: NA

 

Infant mortality rate: total: 30.21 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 33.3 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 26.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

 

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 69.75 years; male: 67.96 years; female: 71.62 years (2005 est.)

 

Total fertility rate: 3.25 children born/woman (2005 est.)

 

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA

 

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

 

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

 

Nationality: noun: Micronesian(s); adjective: Micronesian; Chuukese, Kosraen(s), Pohnpeian(s), Yapese

 

Ethnic groups: nine ethnic Micronesian and Polynesian groups

 

Religions: Roman Catholic 50%, Protestant 47%

 

Languages: English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

 

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write; total population: 89%; male: 91%; female: 88% (1980 est.)

 

Government

 

Country name: conventional long form: Federated States of Micronesia; conventional short form: none; former: Ponape, Truk, and Yap Districts (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands); abbreviation: FSM

 

Government type: constitutional government in free association with the US; the Compact of Free Association entered into force 3 November 1986 and the Amended Compact entered into force May 2004

 

Capital: Palikir

 

Administrative divisions: 4 states; Chuuk (Truk), Kosrae (Kosaie), Pohnpei (Ponape), Yap

 

Independence: 3 November 1986 (from the US-administered UN Trusteeship)

 

National holiday: Constitution Day, 10 May (1979)

 

Constitution: 10 May 1979

 

Legal system: based on adapted Trust Territory laws, acts of the legislature, municipal, common, and customary laws

 

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

 

Executive branch: chief of state: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; head of government: President Joseph J. URUSEMAL (since 11 May 2003); Vice President Redley KILLION (11 May 2003); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; cabinet: Cabinet; elections: president and vice president elected by Congress from among the four senators at large for four-year terms; election last held 11 May 2003 (next to be held May 2007); note - a proposed constitutional amendment to establish popular elections for president and vice president failed; election results: Joseph J. URUSEMAL elected president; percent of Congress vote - NA%; Redley KILLION elected vice president; percent of Congress vote - NA%

 

Legislative branch: unicameral Congress (14 seats; four - one elected from each state to serve four-year terms and 10 - elected from single-member districts delineated by population to serve two-year terms; members elected by popular vote); elections: elections for four-year term seats last held 4 March 2003 (next to be held March 2007); elections for two-year term seats last held 8 March 2005 (next to be held March 2007); election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats - independents 14

 

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

 

Economy

 

Economy - overview: Economic activity consists primarily of subsistence farming and fishing. The islands have few mineral deposits worth exploiting, except for high-grade phosphate. The potential for a tourist industry exists, but the remote location, a lack of adequate facilities, and limited air connections hinder development. The Amended Compact of Free Association with the US guarantees the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) millions of dollars in annual aid through 2023, and establishes a Trust Fund into which the US and the FSM make annual contributions in order to provide annual payouts to the FSM in perpetuity after 2023. The country's medium-term economic outlook appears fragile due not only to the reduction in US assistance but also to the slow growth of the private sector. Geographical isolation and a poorly developed infrastructure remain major impediments to long-term growth.

 

GDP: purchasing power parity - $277 million; note: GDP is supplemented by grant aid, averaging perhaps $100 million annually (2002 est.)

 

GDP - real growth rate: 1% (2002 est.)

 

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,000 (2002 est.)

 

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 50%; industry: 4%; services: 46% (2000 est.)

 

Labor force: NA

 

Labor force - by occupation: two-thirds are government employees

 

Unemployment rate: 16% (1999 est.)

 

Population below poverty line: 26.7%

 

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA; highest 10%: NA

 

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1% (2002 est.)

 

Budget: revenues: $161 million ($69 million less grants); expenditures: $160 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1998 est.)

 

Agriculture - products: black pepper, tropical fruits and vegetables, coconuts, cassava (tapioca), betel nuts, sweet potatoes; pigs, chickens

 

Industries: tourism, construction, fish processing, specialized aquaculture, craft items from shell, wood, and pearls

 

Industrial production growth rate: NA

 

Electricity - production: 192 million kWh (2002)

 

Electricity - consumption: 178.6 million kWh (2002)

 

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2002)

 

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2002)

 

Exports: $22 million (f.o.b.) (FY99/00 est.)

 

Exports - commodities: fish, garments, bananas, black pepper

 

Exports - partners: Japan, US, Guam (2000)

 

Imports: $149 million f.o.b. (FY99/00 est.)

 

Imports - commodities: food, manufactured goods, machinery and equipment, beverages

 

Imports - partners: US, Australia, Japan (2000)

 

Debt - external: $53.1 million (FY02/03 est.)

 

Economic aid - recipient: under terms of the Compact of Free Association, the US pledged $1.3 billion in grant aid during the period 1986-2001; the level of aid has been subsequently reduced

 

Currency (code): US dollar (USD)

 

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

 

Fiscal year: 1 October - 30 September

 

Communications

 

Telephones - main lines in use: 10,100 (2001)

 

Telephones - mobile cellular: 1,800 (2002)

 

Telephone system: general assessment: adequate system; domestic: islands interconnected by shortwave radiotelephone (used mostly for government purposes), satellite (Intelsat) ground stations, and some coaxial and fiber-optic cable; cellular service available on Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap; international: country code - 691; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) (2002)

 

Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 1, shortwave 0 (2004)

 

Television broadcast stations: 3; note - cable TV also available (2004)

 

Internet country code: .fm

 

Internet users: 6,000 (2002)

 

Transportation

 

Highways: total: 240 km; paved: 42 km; unpaved: 198 km (1999 est.)

 

Ports and harbors: Tomil Harbor

 

Merchant marine: total: 2 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 2,423 GRT/1,551 DWT; by type: cargo 1, passenger/cargo 1; foreign-owned: 2 (United States 2) (2005)

 

Airports: 6 (2004 est.)

 

Airports - with paved runways: total: 6; 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4; 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2004 est.)

 

Transnational Issues

 

Disputes - international: none.